Which is best?: I normally use olive... - British Heart Fou...

British Heart Foundation

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Which is best?

Hjiu profile image
Hjiu
ā€¢23 Replies

I normally use olive oil for cooking in my air fryer but I have read that rapeseed oil is better than olive oil. Now I'm confused šŸ˜• Here is a link to the article.

thecookingacademy.co.uk/rap...

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Hjiu profile image
Hjiu
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23 Replies
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Maisie2014 profile image
Maisie2014

I use olive oil all the time. However it canā€™t take high temperatures like other oils. I donā€™t have a problem with it in my air fryer.

ScttH641 profile image
ScttH641

Hi there

I'm with you on it can be confusing with these things, when it comes to whats best etc.

Some people don't agree with cooking with Olive Oil, due to its low smoke point, which is the point the oil breaks down under heat and begins to smoke; losing some of its flavour and health benefits. However you can still cook with Olive Oil.

Canola Oil / Rapeseed Oil has a much higher smoke point, which is why some people prefer it for cooking.

Both Oils have health benefits, for example Olive oil contains polyphenols, which acts as an antioxidant in the body. Canola oil is higher in Vitamin E.

Personally I'm not a professional and I would say whichever oil you pick is whichever is best suited to your needs. But from my own research, I have found both have health benefits, and are far better for your health than other cooking oils. As with anything, moderation is key.

I've linked a few resources below for you to have a read of, but theres not a clear definitive winner, from my perspective.

healthyfood.com/healthy-sho...

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

healthline.com/nutrition/ex...

I apologise, this isn't more of a definitive answer, but hopefully these resources will help.

Take care, have a great day!

AlfredV profile image
AlfredV

Personally I avoid all vegetable seed oils. They oxidise very easily and are high in omega 6 (a standard Western diet is often already too high in omega 6). I use extra virgin olive oil but not for cooking, just for things like salad dressings.

When it comes to heat and cooking I stick to animal fats - lard, butter or ghee.

AlfredV profile image
AlfredV

I try to keep abreast of the science. I'm not offering advice, simply sharing what works best for me.

gasp1 profile image
gasp1

Iā€™ve always been told to never hear olive oil as it changes the health benefits and propertyā€™s turnings it into a bad fat think heating it also makes it turn bitter always used rapeseed oil to cook but to be honest donā€™t really dry anything this day and age as acid reflux creates havoc if I do šŸ˜‚

MattG1875 profile image
MattG1875

Following my recent CABG, we have switched to cooking with rapeseed oil after googling,

Nuttyshirlz profile image
Nuttyshirlz

I donā€™t use any oil in my ninja I cook everything naturally and Iā€™ve been doing this since I first got it. 3yrs ago

Frank225 profile image
Frank225

Some years ago my wife read an article about this, apperently olive oil changes when heated so we have been using olive oil on salads etc but use rapeseed oil for cooking.

Rogo23 profile image
Rogo23

If I am frying or sauteing, I tend towards rapeseed if useing a high heat, above around 150-160, but use olive oil as a finish just before serving the food, just a spritz over before I take it out of the pan.I use a spray bottle from Poundland, you can make a "frying mix" of 70%rape and 30% olive oil not virgin that is good to around 180 if you are careful.

Avoid extra virgin olive oil in frying the colodal solids burn easily use a refined version if you can find it second or third pressing. The is also a spray olive oil from "fry light" that is heat stable, and being in a spray bottle very controllable. In fact the are several different types of oil available in that range. Including a butter flavour if you use one,1 as single spritz you can have that butter taste and no shouting from your version of a shouty cardiac nurse..

Hope that helps.

Dan.

HenryTudor profile image
HenryTudor

I attended a cookery school some months ago. For all cooking they use a 50/50 mixture of olive oil and rape seed oil. The olive oil is for the flavour and the rape seed oil raises the smoke point. I've done this ever since and it's absolutely perfect. I bought a pair of squeezy bottles from Ikea (Ā£2) and use one for Olive oil (for salads) and the other the 50/50 mix, suitably labelled. I only ever buy extra virgin olive oil.

DippyDingDong profile image
DippyDingDong

Thanks for sharing. I think I'll use rapeseed for cooking at high temperatures and extra virgin olive oil on salads and potatoes.

flecathletics profile image
flecathletics

Butter has been vilified unjustly for decades. But there was no scientific evidence of a link between butter consumption and heart disease. The following study is one of many recent papers which contradict earlier ā€˜adviceā€™. Sure all fats can contribute to weight gain and obesity is a clear contributory factor towards Cardiovascular disease. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/192...

We tried cooking in olive oil but the food was minging. Been using grapeseed oil (not rapeseed) for years, it doesnā€™t taint the food and it takes very little.

Silvertail profile image
Silvertail

I use Grapeseed (not rapeseed) oil. It has a higher smoking point. It also has the same nutrients as olive oil, and more Vitamin E.

Qualipop profile image
Qualipop

I read the same last year and swapped from olive oil. Olive oil can't take high temperatures such as when doing a stir fry. I found with a good quality rape seed oil I need to use only a very tiny amount

Truffles2 profile image
Truffles2

my lipid specialist recommended I use rapeseed oil when cooking rather than olive oil so I have made the change. I still use olive oil for salad dressings

Gladiator1951 profile image
Gladiator1951

I fry my chicken cutlets in a blend of Avocado oil and EVOO.

Rachmaninov2 profile image
Rachmaninov2 in reply to Gladiator1951

Avocado oil is my choice, I just use the bare minimum.

Jetcat profile image
Jetcat

marvellous.!!!! Iv just brought 2 litres of extra virgin oil back from Spain. Itā€™s lovely too.

wischo profile image
wischo

Maybe not as crazy as you think, some people here have heart disease and totally deprive themselves from any of the nicer tasting foods and drinks in the belief that in doing so like using a small portion of olive oil or rapeseed oil will make them live longer. I am not trying to be smart here but in moderation a little of what you like probably will not make any difference to your life expectancy and may even make you feel happier. Does anyone here really believe that a tiny amount of rapeseed oil is so much more beneficial to your health than say olive oil?. I dont think so.

Hjiu profile image
Hjiu

Thank you so much for all of your replies. I think I will be switching to rapeseed oil for the air fryer (or no oil) and extra virgin olive oil for dressings. I have been using olive oil for pretty much everything since my HA in 2021. I hope this hasn't hindered me.

wischo profile image
wischo

If it helps your mental recovery then I most definetely would keep doing what makes you feel better. The point I was trying to make is that some people get obsessed with what they consume to the point that in the grand scheme of things they become irrational about it. I feel that genetics are the main driver for your future health and longevity and very little you can do about it other than regular checks. Not only heart disease but cancers, arthritis and even baldness are genetically related. I really believe that debating whether a tablespoon of olive oil vs rapeseed oil in an air fryer occasionally is totally irrational. I dont feel I am depriving myself either as I eat most things, in moderation of course.

wischo profile image
wischo

Yes moderation can be difficult to define but I think common sense tells you when you are overdoing it. I generally do not eat butter as it never appealed to me though if somewhere where the bread is already buttered I will eat it without worrying. I will also have a steak maybe once a week or a bit less and cut any fat from it and I also drink alcohol very moderately. I eat a few rich tea biscuits with a cup of decaf coffee after dinner and also might have some chocolate once or twice a week and yes I sometimes question what I eat but you have to live a normal happy life as well. My father had heart problems as did his whole family and he ate everything you could throw at him and he died at 83 which by any standards is not bad at all. Results are both my younger brother and sister have got heart disease so it really is familia. I have asked my cardiologist if I need to be on a better diet and he said as I am not carrying excess weight that I do not and that some amazonian plant diet would probable be more harmful at 72 yrs old. My cardio rehab team gave me the standard diet advice so what do you believe?, so anyway I have never had a heart attack or angina but had elective stents fitted, I exercise daily and try not to get too anxious about life though as you are younger than me then your life decisions may be different. I wish you all the best and a long and healthy life ahead.

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